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Friday, June 15, 2012

Chinese Bustle progress

Or lack there of. You know those costume projects where you've got a vision in your head
and you make it come to fruition and all is right with the world?

Well, this isn't one of those.

Yeah,
I've really stalled out on my Labyrinth of Jareth Ball Chinese Bustle project. I've got a great
over skirt...and not much else. I've made a bodice and fitted it but
what seemed fine in my mind and in mock up just is not *right* in real
life. It's not not the fabric, not the fit, it's even cute but it's not what I want. I
made a lovely black silk satin underskirt which I adore...but it's too
pretty to be covered up! If I trim the underskirt to go with the
Chinese bustle (and other things) I lose the beauty of it's simplicity.
So now I'm contemplating using it for some other project and making yet
another underskirt for this, which defeats my goal of multi-purpose
costume pieces. Sigh.

Then I start running around in circles with
my arms pinwheeling as a flail to find something else to wear to LoJ.
I've got LOTS of ideas, and a significant amount of CADD but the reality is none
of them works for what I want for LoJ. Which is over the top and
beautiful. AND goes with a mask I currently have - there IS however one
thing already made in the closet which fits the bill - my Water gown. Yes, it's got a mile long train but that can actually be pinned up in a pretty
cool and attractive way. And I'd thought I was too fat for it but tried
on the skirt and it fit fine. Great! The part most prone to gain
weight fits! Yay, problem solved! But then I tried it on with my corset
and had H hold the back (which laces up) together and yeah, the waist
fits fine but apparently I've gained a ton of weight in my
bust/ribcage. O_o But I'm thinking I can jsut make a
placket and have a lacing gap in the top of my back and the ginormous
fall of hair I was planning on wearing with it will cover it.

All
of this leaves me with nothing for the Costume College Gala, because I've already worn
Water for it. So I'm thinking of either going back to the Chinese
bustle after a breathing period or running with one of my other CADD
ideas. After seeing all the lovely bustle gowns madamekat, Judy and Beth all wore at Dress U I'm thinking of something along those lines...